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Next generation of construction workers get a boost

Date: Tuesday 02 June 2015

The construction department at The Long Eaton School on the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border is set to gain some crucial new resources thanks to a donation from our team at Taylor Wimpey East Midlands.

Following an appeal by the school on social media, our regional East Midlands business unit donated £500 to the department, which runs courses teaching students a host of practical construction skills.

Lynn Reeve, Business Manager at The Long Eaton School, says: “We were on Twitter asking if anyone locally had any surplus building equipment we could use – the department does a lot of activities like bricklaying so it’s quite costly in terms of resources.

“Taylor Wimpey called us up and said that, although they didn’t have any surplus equipment, they would like to donate some money – so that was a huge bonus!

“We didn’t expect much response, let alone a company ringing up and offering a donation, so we’re delighted with Taylor Wimpey’s generosity.”Our donation will go towards purchasing some more construction tools and bricks for the department, which provides students with an opportunity to gain a Level 2 BTEC Award in Construction and the Built Environment.

“We always need more resources so we’re really grateful for the donation,” Lynn adds. “Our construction department has an outdoor pad where students can learn skills like bricklaying, and an indoor area where they can do things like plastering, decorating, wallpapering and tiling.

“We provide these learning options for students from Year 9 upwards. If schools don’t invest in teaching these kinds of practical skills we’ll be in danger of running out of skilled tradesmen.

“The students love it. For a lot of young people traditional academia isn’t necessarily their bag so we feel it’s an important element to our curriculum.”

Nick Upex, Regional Sales Manager for Taylor Wimpey East Midlands, says: “As a local housebuilder, we are committed to supporting the communities in which we build, so we’re more than happy to make this donation to The Long Eaton School.

“We hope the students continue to enjoy learning these valuable practical skills that can make a big contribution to the future construction industry in the area.”